X792- on anmal instinct, 17 



marking her procedure. She kept a little before me 

 in the same manner, and practising the same tricks 

 for at least a mile. It was remarkable, likewise, 

 that before Ihe had proceeded a couple of hundred 

 yards, some people coming in the opposite direction, 

 forced her to leave the road, and fly over one of the 

 hedges till they were past ; so that, if reason had had 

 anyfliare in this manoeavre, flie must have seen that 

 her young would be in much greater danger from those 

 who were going towards them, than from me who 

 had already pafsed them, and fhe ought to have turn- 

 ed back, under the covert of the hedge, and drawn the 

 young oflF the road before these frefli enemies came 

 up. Instead of that, however, flie pursued her in- 

 stinctive course blindly, returning to the road as soon 

 as they were past and, following the same plan as be- 

 fore, proceeded for near a mile be'* re me, fluttering 

 and dragging her legs as at first. This conduct, there- 

 fore, though at first it appeared the most wise that 

 could have been contrived, appeared at length to be 

 the miost foolijh that could have been conceived. 

 Hence I attribute the one, as well as the other, not 

 to reason, but to blind instinct alone. 



Docility is a principle that seems to be much more 

 nearly connected with reason than with instinct. We 

 must, however, here distinguifh between docility and 

 tractablenejs ; an animal may be so tamed as to be 

 perfectly gentle and inoifensive ; yet it may be stu- 

 pid, and incapable of being taught any thing farther 

 than to submit to its master's power, or to be allu- 

 .red by his bounty. The chicken soon knows to obey 

 the call for food ; but scarcely can it be made to df- 



VOL. viii. C I 



